Hey Everyone,
Gosh mom, by now I thought I had answered all your Top 10, but that's ok, keep them coming, it's the biggest part of you I miss, questions about what I'm up too! Knowing your always right there with your since of humor and sending back encouragement in that fashion as well maked me laugh at the bumpy roads, some days literally! HA
Let me start by saying this past week has gotten better and I am "Finer Then a Frog's Hair". I think I am getting more used to the swing of things here. I really just LOVE the folks here they are so nice. Even though we have only 1 progressing investigator they are polite to say "Not today child" and I have to smile as I walk away remembering they just nailed it on the head as "I am a Child of God". Our other two Elders have a ton of investigators and we keep asking them what they are sprinkling on thier cornflakes! HA I guess that's just how Missions work and hopefully our bowls will be full soon. I think partially it due to the fact that we, my companion and I, are split between 3 areas and that really impacts the amount of time we have to spend with folks, not sure, but I am sure the Lord's watching mindfully with His plan so I'm good!
Funny thing how complaining about doing dishes at home has taken on a whole new pleasure for me. The Spanish speaking Elder and I do not have alot of time to converse in Spanish so we have decided a good meeting place to do that is "bustin' suds, not doing laundry but at the kitchen sink, loving it!
Ok now back at you mom with those TOP 10 answers: I will be calling or skyping you on Mothers Day around 4:00 your time, 3:00 my time, as we should arrive back from Demopolis by then. I miss you tons an cannot wait to see you mom! I love you sooo much and am thankful for your unconditional love while I was at home being a pain sometimes (you know I was). Your support has always ben appreciated although sometime it felt more like endurance I now realize that it was all for my best! Thanks for hanging in there even when it probaly wasn't always fun to be stuck there.
I will mail my luggage receipt to the Mission Home. I just asked another Elder about packages so you can mail my packages here. When we are not here they leave a slip on the door or in the mailbox to have us come and get it in the office. Thanks for sending something for each of us mom, I know when it gets here they will aprreciate it as much as I do. Famous Amos cookies sounds pretty good with a glass of cold milk at the end of the day.
How is Misty, Nate and kids? Lyns, Wyatt and Grams doing ok? Tell Dad and them I send my love. I will try and email if I have time individually but I may have to catch them on the fly! HAHA Lots of them here!
I so enjoy my music when I study the hyms. It brings a special spirit and clears my thoughts of the busy day. Here's a SHOUT OUT to Shelbie, thanks for helping my illeterate iPod mom ( that is what you called yourself right mom)? HAHA
We do have AC but we use fans instead which we welcome at the return to our apartment. It is a different kind of hot mostly humidity and unlike Utah the shade does not provide refuge. My "BEACHES tan is turning into a farmers tan, fits Demoplois countryside well.
We did not get to meet with Shirley she was at a funeral but set up another appointment with her through family that could not travel to the funeral (elderly folks). We did paint her living room for her though while she was attending the funeral, a chore she was dreading and I'm sure she was pleased to see upon her arrival. It felt so good to be serving in a small way!
I'm not sure about the driving permitt, the other Argentina waiting Misionary got his Saturday and I did not so for now I will not be diriving but all is good, we will see. Maybe that's a sign that I won't be needing one cause I heading to Argentina on June 5th right? Well like I said maybe that would be great as I have heard they have closed down 12 areas now due to the lack of arriving Missionaries.
I haven't received any Senior photos from Riley or Breylyn so get those girls on the horn mom! I sure will miss not being there for that and Kennedy's wedding, any updates there?
Yes I met with the Mission President for a 3 minute interview, he is really busy I guess. It was nice to put a face with a voice though since he could not make it to pick us up at the airport. I will see him in again in about 2 weeks, May 24th over halfway through the 6 weeks we are to be here but that is not set in stone.
I think I have lost about 12 lbs thus far, probably a good thing mom don't worry. I am eating ok and I actually had BBQ the other night. Now hold on to your chair mom, I even tried the BBQ sauce and it was awesome, pretty wild huh? It was different from what we have at home very tasty.
We have laundry facilities here at the complex. We go in 2 shifts to get it done. Like Grandma, alot of the ladies hang there laundry outside so cutting through alley's to get there faster isn't a wise option. You just never know where those clothesline are, they are not alawys in just their own yards and can strectch into the alley' s, I guess depending on the size of the families. Anyways they're waiting there like a web and you can get snatched off that bike pretty suddenly, luckily I have not yet!
I think that about covers it! Overall I am enduring and trying to endure well, although I will admit, the smell of occasional chlorine and laughter from behind fences remind me of some of my summer fun back home with friends. I probably enjoyed the cliff surfing the most even though you held your breath and said a quick prayer when I told you where I was going, it was a rush like no other!
I have to say I do enjoy the company of my closest friend The Holy Ghost. In every moment of every day I feel it's presence. I know that my Heavenly Father smiles down on me every night and whispers another day well done Elder, well done.
"I want to leave this blog today with my testimony that Chirst lives and that he is with us through all life's experiences, and each of those experiences serves a purpose in strengthening us as individuals, and that adds strenghts to our testimonies as well. I love my family very much and thank heavenly father daily for them. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ.... amen"
Amor,
Anciano Draper
"It takes a lot of courage to release the
familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real
security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the
adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is
power." ~Allen Cohen~
